CA’s Chuck Davis: Voc Ed teacher, conscientious objector, and graphic arts expert

California’s Chuck Davis: Vocational education teacher who was also a conscientious objector, graphic arts expert, and restorer of antique clocks.

There are many talented educators who have led colorful lives outside of the classroom. One of these is Chuck Davis, a vocational education teacher from California who also worked as a forester, a typesetter, and restorer of antique clocks.

Chuck was born Charles Ernest Davis on Feb. 4, 1923, in La Verne, California. After his graduation from Bonita High School in 1941, he enrolled at La Verne College. His father, also named C. Ernest Davis, was serving as the college’s president at the time. During his college years, which spanned World War II, Chuck spent three years in the Civilian Public Service (CPS) as a conscientious objector. There he was involved in forestry work. In the evenings he hand set type and printed the works of several Beat poets who were also stationed at the forestry camp.

When his stint in the CPS was complete, Chuck worked as a printer at the San Dimas Press and a foreman at the San Gabriel Valley Daily Tribune. He also taught printing in the Vocational Education Department at Garfield High School in Los Angeles. In addition to teaching there, Chuck also instructed courses at Los Angeles Trade Technical College for 36 years, and at Los Angeles State College.

When he was 60 years old, Chuck retired. But he was not finished working. He purchased a typesetting and graphic arts photography business, which he ran with his sons Robbie and Alan. He also taught a course in clock repair through Pomona Adult School. In fact, he conducted comprehensive research into Japanese schoolhouse clocks. This research was published in the NAWCC Bulletin in 2009.

Chuck passed away on July 1, 2020. He was 97 years old. To learn more about this amazing educator, follow this link to the Daily Bulletin.

New Jersey teachers establish food bank to help sheltering-at-home students

High school teachers Kelly and Cori Carroll of Hackensack High School in Hackensack, New Jersey, established a food bank to help their sheltering-at-home students.

How wonderful it is that many dedicated educators work not only on behalf of their students, but also on behalf of their communities. This is true of teacher Kelly Carroll and his wife Cori, who teach at Hackensack High School in Hackensack, New Jersey. The couple has opened a food bank in their front yard to help feed their needy students and their families.

Kelly teaches culinary arts and Cori teaches special education. When the school first closed in mid-February to comply with the state’s shelter-at-home order, Kelly began making house calls to the homes of his students to discuss home schooling assignments. He suggested to parents that they prepare one meal each day together and then send him a photograph of their work. One parent, however, confessed that she was too embarrassed to show him what she had been feeding her children since she’d been out of work. That’s when Kelly decided he needed to do something to help.

Hackensack High School Culinary Arts teacher Kelly Carroll and his wife, Special Education teacher Cori Carroll, help feed their needy students.

Kelly and Cori started asking their students and parents if they needed groceries. About 15 families indicated they were in need. And then the couple learned there was no food bank in their area to help. That’s when they decided to organize their own food bank to help the needy families.

Kelly has a friend who manages a division of Farmer’s Fridge in Carlstadt, New Jersey. The company makes healthy meals for vending machines. The friend offered to donate a shipment of organic salads and sandwiches that. Kelly drove to Carlstadt, picked up 12 crates of pre-made meals, and sorted them into bags for the families of each of the needy students.

Before long, more needy families asked for the donated meals. And within a few weeks, more and more individuals contributed donations of food and cash to the Carrolls. The couple is now feeding approximately 200 families each week. They are also providing necessary household items such as diapers for those families who have toddlers at home.

The effort has caught the attention of Robert Sanchez, Superintendent of Hackensack Schools. “The care and compassion that they have demonstrated for our families during this pandemic has been nothing short of extraordinary,” Sanchez asserts. “We are very proud that they are part of our amazing school system,” he continues.

For the Kelly, the effort is part of his desire to teach his students good citizenship in addition to content. “I want my kids to grow up knowing that this is what you’re supposed to do in times like this.”

To read more about these two Challkboard Champions, see this link at northjersey.com.

Krazy George Henderson: The professional cheerleader (and former teacher) who invented the “wave”

Krazy George Henderson

Former shop teacher, professional cheerleader, and inventor of the wave Krazy George Henderson

Under ordinary circumstances the word “Krazy” is not a word we would like to associate with a teacher, but in the case of Krazy George Henderson, we happily make an exception. As a professional cheerleader and inventor of the wave, former high school shop teacher Krazy George is just a fun guy.

George inaugurated his cheerleading career in 1968 while a student at San Jose State University. During those years he was also a member of the school’s judo team which one a national championship. After his graduation from college, George continued cheerleading at local sporting events where he became well-known for beating a drum and shouting cheers in his gravelly voice.

After his graduation from college, George became a shop teacher at Buckser High School in Santa Clara, California. In 1975, his enthusiastic cheerleading was noticed by local sports teams. Not long after, he was hired to be a team cheerleader for the San Jose Earthquakes, the California Golden Seals, and the Kansas City Chiefs. Before long, Krazy George made cheerleading his new career.

George takes credit for inventing the famous wave. He says he got the idea for the popular fan move in 1980 when he was leading cheers at a National Hockey League game at Northlands Coliseum in Edmongton, Alberta, Canada. His original plan was to have fans on one side of the arena jump to their feet and cheer, and then fans on the opposite side respond. But there was a delay in the  response from one section of the fans which led them to jump to their feet a few seconds later than the others on their side. Before long, George perfected the move, which he debuted at the Oakland A’s baseball game on October 15, 1981. “I started with three sections and it went about five or six sections down,” Krazy George told KPIX-TV in San Francisco in a 2010 interview. “I did it again and it went 11 and then all the way around. It was insane,” he continued. Crowds all over the country have been “waving” ever since.

The former educator has left the classroom, but as he nears his 75th birthday he has enjoyed a career as a cheerleader for 40 years. In addition to his appearances as a cheerleader at professional sports events, George has been featured in People Magazine, he’s been a guest on such television programs as Hollywood Squares and To Tell the Truth, and he’s been interviewed on numerous national and local radio shows.

Enjoy this video of Krazy George demonstrating the wave below:

Julian McPhee: High school vocational education teacher and president of Cal Poly universities

Julian McPhee

Julian McPhee, the high school vocational education teacher who became president of Cal Poly universities

There are many stories of talented high school teachers who work their way up into positions in universities. This is true of Julian McPhee, a high school vocational education teacher who eventually became the president of the California Polytechnic University system.

Julian was born in San Francisco on February 7, 1896. His parents were immigrants from Canada. After his graduation from high school, Julian enrolled at University of California at Berkeley, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture. While still working on his undergraduate degree, Julian inaugurated his career as an educator by teaching a course in agricultural education at Pomona High School in Pomona, a suburb of Los Angeles.

During the waning months of World War I, Julian enlisted in the US Navy, where he served as an ensign. While in the service, he worked as an instructor at the naval port guard and as an aide in Naval Intelligence. In 1918, at the conclusion of the Great War, Julian was given an honorable discharge.

After the war, Julian returned to the San Francisco area, where he accepted a position as a teacher of agriculture at Gilroy High School in Gilroy, Santa Clara County, California. During his many years as a high school educator, Julian strongly emphasized vocational education, particularly in the fields of agriculture. An advocate of hands-on learning, he formed clubs for agriculture and mechanics in each one of Gilroy’s public schools.

In 1928, Julian completed the requirements for his Master’s degree in Agricultural Education through the University of California at Los Angeles. Between 1926 and 1944, he worked as the chief of the State Bureau of Agricultural Education. In this capacity, he formed the California state headquarters of Future Farmers of America.

In 1933, Julian was selected president of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. There he converted the struggling school from a two-year technical school to a full-fledged four-year university in the CSU system.

When World War II broke out, Julian served as the director of California’s War Food Production Training Program. Later he served as acting chief of the Bureau of Readjustment Education, the Assistant Executive Officer of the State Board of Vocational Education, and the director of Vocational Education for the State of California. He also oversaw the founding of newly-built Cal Poly Pomona.

By 1966, Julian could claim 33 years as the president of the Cal Poly system. But because of deteriorating health, he decided to retire. Sadly, this amazing educator passed away of colon cancer on November 10, 1967. He was 71 years old.